Mechanism for use in joining textile threads



' March 1, 11967 c. a. PQRTER 3,307,865

MECHANISM FOR USE IN JOINING TEXTILE THREADS ori inal Filed March 25; 1964 s Sheets-Sheet 1 March 7,- 1967 c. H. PORTER MECHANISM FOR USE IN JOINING TEXTILE mamas Original Filed Match 25, 1964 5 Shets- Sheet 2 March-7, 1967 R" 3,307,865

MECHANISM FOR USE IN JOINING TEXTILE THREADS Original Filed March 25, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 [March 7,1967 HPOmER 3,307,865

MECHANISM FOR USE IN JOINING TEXTILE THREADS Original Filed March 25, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I March 1967 v 1 c. H. PORTER 3,307,865

MECHANISM FOR USE IN JOINING TEXTILE THREADS Original Filed March 25, 19 4' 5 Sheets-Shet -5 United States Patent 3,307,865 MECHANISM FOR USE IN JUINING TEXTILE TEADS Clarence H. Porter, 295 North St., Hingham, Mass. 02043 Original application Mar. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 354,698, now Patent No. 3,264,023, dated Aug. 2, 1966. Divided and this application June 1, 1966, Ser. No. 554,538 7 Claims. (Cl. 289-18) This application is a division of my application Serial No. 354,698, filed March 25, 1964, now U.S. Patent 3,264,023 for Method for Joining Textile Threads.

This invention relates to joining textile threads or yarns, more particularly singles formed of, or in large part formed of, overlapped, discontinuous filaments or fibers. Typical of these is singles cotton yarn, but the invention is also applicable to worsted, synthetics, and mixtures.

It is disclosed in United States Patent No.2,5l5,l72, of E. 1. Abbott and corresponding patents in other countries, how to join threads by a method which involves combining untwisted end portions of two threads and then reconstituting the combined portion, finishing with a junction that has the same amount of twist as the original threads. Since it is difiicult to secure in the junction the same uniformity of fiber-to-fiber relation that is obtained in the original spinning, the present invention aims to provide thread joining apparatus by which weakness in a reconstituted thread can be effectively offset or removed.

As will appear from this specification the method performed by the apparatus involves tying a knot in a single ply of a bundle of fibers in which there are fibers from the ends of both original yarns.

The knot preferably is of a type which is very small and has no tails. Superficial inspection of the knot would suggest that it is useless, constituting a minute local enlargement in the thread. However, tying the knot greatly facilitates making the junction in a reliable manner.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from this specification and its accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram showing two threads set up for joining.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the end portions of these threads set up for joining and showing these end portions having been untwisted and frayed.

FIG. 3 shows the end portions of the threads of FIG. 1 joined and the junction gripped by a clamp.

FIG. 4 is a simplified elevation of two thread guiding, clamping and pulling units of the apparatus of this invention. Since FIG. 4 shows two units which are the same but are oppositely directed, some structure which shows more clearly in the position of the right unit is omitted in the showing of the left unit, and vice versa.

FIG. 5 is a left elevation of the right one of the two units of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the adjacent ends of the two units of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the threads after their end portions have been combined, and also relating the combined threads to the two unit which are shown in detail in FIGS. 4-6.

FIG. 8 shows two loops of the thread as having been greatly reduced in size as compared to FIGS. 1 and 7.

FIG. 9 shows the thread as in condition to be gripped by the pulling clamps of the two units.

FIG. 10 shows the two units as having clamped the thread and also as having released the two loops.

ICC

FIG. 11 shows the thread as the two units have separated and nearly completely tightened the knot.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing some geometrical relations which aid in determining the preferred dimensions of some parts of the two units.

Referring to FIG. 1 it will be seen that if one disregards the fact that the adjacent end portions of the two threads A and B at the top of the figure are distinct and unjoined, the figure would represent an opened-up overhand knot, indeed would represent the knot which appears in FIG. 11, greatly opened up. As in the final knot there are three crossings. Considering the configuration of FIG. 1 to be laid in -a plane, it Will be seen that, tracing the course of thread A in either direction it goes over (or in front of) B, then below (or behind) B, then over (or in front of) B. The two crossings where A goes over or in front of B may for convenience be referred to as the first and third crossings, and the crossing where A goes below or behind B may be referred to as the intermediate second crossing. Thread B has the reverse relation to A, going under, then over, then under, A. In FIG. 1 the distance between the lines XX and YY is intended to represent somewhat less than the maximum length of the fibers of the threads A and B. The thread B may, for instance, extend to the take-up package such as a cone or cheese in a winder, and thread A may, for instance, extend to a supply bobbin, new or old, in this winder.

As initial operations, the main parts of the two threads are twisted in the direction of their original twist, to store extra twist in the main part of thread A to the left of line XX at the top of the figure and in the main part of thread B to the right of line YY, and the two extra-twisted threads are clamped to retain such extra twist, thread A being held at X--X and thread B at YY.

The end part of thread A, to the right of line XX is then untwisted and its fibers pulled to fray it off at about line YY, and the end part of thread B to the left of line YY, is similarly frayed and untwisted. FIG. 2 diagrammatically shows the two frayed ends. The fibers which are shown as extending out like brush bristles in FIG. 2 will be anchored into the main twisted parts of the threads to the left of X--X in the case of thread A and to the right of YY in the case of thread B. That is, while the respective threads will have been clamped at X-X and YY during the untwist-ing and fraying, the clamping will not have been so tight as to prevent the removal by fraying of fibers which extended only a little way into the twisted parts. These fibers will have been removed.

The two thread ends are then combined by overlapping the frayed untwisted parts and at this stage are preferably pressed firmly together.

The combined untwisted portion of strand is then twisted, by applying twist thereto, the twist being in the same direction as in the original thread. The twist thus applied will be transferred thereto from the extra-twisted main portions of the threads.

The combined strand, in the region from XX to YY will now resemble the remainder of the thread, but having been taken apart .and put together, it will not be as strong. The combined strand is shown as clamped by a clamp 10, FIG. 3, midway between lines X-X and YY. For this clamp 10 a clamp operating on the principle of a surgeons locking forcep, that is, biased toward the clamping position, is preferred, but this is not an essential feature.

Two thread guiding, clamping and pulling units are indicated generally by reference characters 11a and 11b in FIG. 4 and are the same in construction, but are oppositely directed, and are suitably guided for sliding movement to the right and left in FIG. 4, along base 12, toward and way from each other. 12a indicates a slide way for each nit, and 12b a stop shoulder against which the unit can but in its position nearest to the other unit as in FIG. 4. he unit includes a main member 13, having a generally pwardly facing curved shoulder or ledge 14, the shoulder 4 of unit 1111 being seen in FIG. 4. Thread A may e laid on this shoulder in the course of bringing this 1read into the configuration of FIG. 1 and the part theref that will lie on this shoulder may be that which is in he region of the reference character 14A in FIG. 1. bread B will similarly lie on the corresponding shoulder f unit 11b and the part thereof that may lie on this shouler is indicated at 14B in FIG. 1. The two units thus Jgether constitute holding means adapted to receive the eparate threads with a view to having them in the conguration of FIG. 1.

The upper part of member 13 has a downwardly facing lamping surface 17, terminating at its rear at a web 18 IhiCh as seen in FIG. 6 is of wedge section. FIG. hows how the beak-shaped upper part of member 13, aving the downwardly facing clamping surface 17, eX- ends from the web 18 over a portion of the curved shouler 14. A sliding clamping member 19 is normally reracted beneath the shoulder 14 in a slot 20 so as not to 1terfere with placing the thread on this shoulder. The roken line indication of member 19 in FIG. 5 shows the lamping position of this member 19 where it presses the aread against the clamping surface 17. The member 19 nay be brought to this clamping position, shown in full .nes in FIG. 4, by a spring-biased toggle lever 19a pivoted t 19b and acting on a pin 19c which projects from memer 19. The toggle lever is omitted from FIG. 5 for or simplicity of illustration.

As seen in FIG. 5 the unit has a widened portion 25 Xtending from its left face, provided with a side plate '6, to form a trough 27. This trough is seen in plan [1 FIG. 5 and the corresponding trough of the other unit 1b is seen in elevation in FIG. 4.

In thq configuration of FIG. 1 part 27A of thread A vill lie in the trough 27 of unit 11b and part 278 of thread B will lie in the trough of the unit 11a. Where the direcions of thread cross in the central part of this configuraion, this being the second of the three crossings previousy referred to, the two threads are preferably kept sepaated by a vertical tapered pin 3%) located in between the W0 units. Where in FIG. 1 the courses of the two threads :ross at either side of the figure, these being the first and bird crossings, the threads will be separated by the repective unit. Thus at the right of FIG. 1, the web 18 of he right unit 1111 will lie between the two threads. The vebs 18 are thin at the edge facing the observer in FIG. 5, 0 that when the thread is drawn out as subsequently lescribed the first crossing will lie almost in a plane and he third crossing will be almost in a plane, the courses in :ach of these crossings being separated only by the thin veb. Viewed as in FIG. 4 in their closest position the lpper parts of the two units do not quite touch. Thus be two webs 18 will admit between them the thread :ourses which comprise the second crossing.

Each unit is provided with a loop-holding retractable )in 35 carried by an arm 36 pivotally mounted at 36a, vhich is urged by a spring 36b to hold the pin against the ace of member 13 as seen in FIG. 5. In FIG. 4 the tpper corner portion of arm 36 is broken away to show he location of pin 35 of the unit 11b. The pin 35 for lnit 11a is at the rear side of this unit as seen in FIG. 4. Each pin 35 is preferably located so that its center line :oincides with the clamping surface 17 of its unit, (FIG. .0), that is, so that the plane of the clamping surface vould bisect the face of the pin, and each clamping surace 17 preferably lies so that its plane is at least approxinately directed tangentially to the pin 35 of the other 1nit.

Now assuming that the threads have been laid in the lnits and the ends united and clamped by the clamp as described, the junction of the threads interiorly of the first and third crossings is laid across the two pins 35 as shown in the diagram of FIG. 7 where the pin of the right hand unit 11a bears against the rear face of that unit and the pin 35 of unit 11b bears against the front face of that unit. That part of the thread A to the left of the pins may then be allowed to drape from the left pin into the trough 27 of the left unit and that part of thread B to the right of the pins may similarly go into the trough 27 of the right unit, as indicated in dotted lines to which reference characters A and B are applied in FIG. 7.

The loops of thread held by the two members 35 are then reduced in size by drawing thread A out to the right over the curved shoulder 14 of unit 11a and thread B out to the left over the corresponding shoulder 14 of the other unit 11b. This repositions the thread crossings and brings them into the region of the junction. At about the stage of FIG. 8 the threads will leave the pin and as the thread continues to be drawn out from either side of the device relative to the pins it will wrap progressively more around pins 35 until it comes up against the two clamping surfaces 17, whereupon it resembles the configuration of FIG. 9. Although the thread will lie against the web 18 at the entrance edge of each clamping surface 17 (at left edge of clamping surface 17 of unit 11a) it is spaced away from the web everywhere in the clamping area except at the very entrance edge because of a rounded protuberance 40 from the web 18. The thread is thus accessible to the clamping action of member 19.

FIG. 10 shows the yarn as clamped by the member 19. Following the clamping, the pins 35 are retracted as indicated by their absence from FIG. 10, releasing the two loops of thread from the pins. One such loop will then hang down from the clamping surface 17 of the right hand unit and then extend upwardly into the left side of clamp 16. The other such loop will similarly extend down from the clamping surface of the left hand unit and then upwardly into the right side of clamp 10, and as indicated in FIG. 10 these loops are crossing loops.

The two units are then moved apart, and before the two loops are very much extended laterally by the separation of the units, the clamp 10 is released. Further separation of the two units tightens the knot as diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 11. Finally the members 19 are retracted to release the united thread.

While the application of the clamp 10 to the junction has been described as following the restoration of twist into the junction, it may sometimes be advisable to apply the clamp before such restoration of twist, in which case the clamped middle part of the junction would remain nearly without twist until the clamp is released. Then by postponing release of the clamp 10 until the knot has been partly tightened and nearly in the FIG. 11 condition, very little twist will run into the formerly clamped part, and the finally tightened knot itself will have less than the usual thread twist, which makes for a more compact knot.

It is within the scope of the invention to lubricate the thread in the region in which the knot forms. For instance, a few drops of water may be applied in any of the positions shown in FIGS. 9, 10 or 11.

One objective is to insure that the material of the junction which has been disturbed by untwisting and fraying will not be pulled apart in the course of the tying. This is accomplished in the first instance by the clamp 10. Referring to FIG. 3 the thread between XX and the clamp 10 will have been disturbed by the untwist-ing and fraying, but since the distance between XX and the clamp is less than one half of a fiberlength this distance will be bridged by fibers that are difficult to pull apart. Similarly with the fibers that extend between Y-Y and the clamp 10.

After the thread is clamped by the members 19 against.

the clamping surfaces 17 and clamp 10 has been released it is desirable to have the length of thread-extending between the clamping members 19 short as the knot is tightened. When necessary the pins 35 and their spacing can be made very compact.

Assuming that the thread were to lie in a plane in the diagram of FIG. 12, that the diameter of each pin is d and that their distance apart is also d, and that the thread is clamped at both points M and N, it can be seen by inspection that the distance from M to and around the left pin 35 then to and around the right pin 35 and over to N is less than 1rd+4d, i.e., is in the region of 7d. Allowance will have to be made for the crossing of the thread with itself and for the fact that the webs 18 have appreciable thickness, which would throw the actual configuration of the thread somewhat out of a plane. However, it should be easy to have the length of thread from one clamping member 19 to the other amount to no more than about d. This would Suggest a diameter d of perhaps 0.05 inch for use with cotton thread, so that a length of only one-half inch of thread, i.e., less than half a fiber length, would extend from one member 19 to the other when these clamped the thread to pull the knot tight. Pins 35 could be smaller than this 0.05 inch diameter. There need be no running travel of the thread around these small pins because the thread is merely laid over them and then folded around them whereupon the thread is clamped by members 19 and the pins retracted to release the loops.

I claim:

1. Mechanism for use in joining thread, comprising means for receiving separate threads in a configuration wherein the courses of said threads have three crossings which alternate in type as to over and under relation, two releasable loop-holding members across which a portion of a junction of end parts of the thread interiorly of the first and third crossings can be placed, the thread receiving means permitting the thread after joining to be drawn out relative to said loop-holding members to shorten the extent of thread in which the crossings lie and thereby reposition the crossings into the region of the thread junction, and clamps for clamping the thread at two places in the region of the repositioned crossings, exteriorly thereof, said clamps while in clamping engagement with the thread being relatively separable to tighten the thread into a knot.

2. Mechanism as claimed in claim 1 in which the loopholding members comprise retractable pins.

3. Mechanism as claimed in claim 1 including means for maintaining separate, during initial stages of the drawing out, the crossing courses of thread at the intermediate second crossing.

4. Mechanism as claimed in claim 3 in which the means for maintaining the courses of thread separate at the intermediate second crossing comprises a pin.

5. Mechanism as claimed in claim 1 including means for maintaining separate, during initial stages of the drawing out, the crossing courses of thread at the first crossing and means for maintaining separate, during initial stages of the drawing out, the crossing courses of thread at the third crossing.

6. Mechanism as claimed in claim 5 in which the means for maintaining the courses of thread separate at the first and third crossings are elements which are spaced from each other so as to admit the second crossing.

7. Mechanism as claimed in claim 1 in which the thread receiving means permits the drawn thread to fold around said loop-holding members to permit shortening the courses of thread which form the intermediate second crossing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,262,034 11/1941 Noling 289-l8 2,608,426 8/1952 Connor 289-18 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

L. K. RIMRODT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. MECHANISM FOR USE IN JOINING THREAD, COMPRISING MEANS FOR RECEIVING SEPARATE THREADS IN A CONFIGURATION WHEREIN THE COURSES OF SAID THREADS HAVE THREE CROSSINGS WHICH ALTERNATE IN TYPE AS TO OVER AND UNDER RELATION, TWO RELEASABLE LOOP-HOLDING MEMBERS ACROSS WHICH A PORTION OF A JUNCTION OF END PARTS OF THE THREAD INTERIORLY OF THE FIRST AND THIRD CROSSINGS CAN BE PLACED, THE THREAD RECEIVING MEANS PERMITTING THE THREAD AFTER JOINING TO BE DRAWN OUT RELATIVE TO SAID LOOP-HOLDING MEMBERS TO SHORTEN THE EXTENT OF THREAD IN WHICH THE CROSSINGS LIE AND THEREBY REPOSITION THE CROSSINGS INTO THE REGION OF THE THREAD JUNCTION, AND CLAMPS FOR CLAMPING THE THREAD AT TWO PLACES IN THE REGION OF THE REPOSITIONED CROSSINGS, EXTERIORLY THEREOF, SAID CLAMPS WHILE IN CLAMPING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE THREAD BEING RELATIVELY SEPARABLE TO TIGHTEN THE THREAD INTO A KNOT. 